The Reno Police Department is working hard to create a safe, crime-free environment in downtown Reno.
Chief Kathryn Nance, from the Reno Police Department, says, "We're really seeing a lower number of calls for service and a lower number of crimes."
They've dedicated 50 officers who are on patrol in the downtown area. They also have three different teams that are in the area at all times.
Chief Nance explains, "We have our community action and outreach officers, and we have two different mobile engagement teams, one that works Monday through Thursday and one that works Wednesday through Saturday at night. And their whole focus is trying to make downtown safer and make sure that criminal behavior is brought back in at a minimum."
The Chief adds, "We want to do everything we can so that when people come down here, they see officers, they see enforcement taking place, they feel comfortable with the enforcement that is taking place, and they see that there are a lot of fun things to do."
Chief Nance says law enforcement tries to see where they can improve by finding out where the issues persist, where people need additional resources, and how they can effectively manage problems.
She also tells us that law enforcement has been cracking down even more on violent crimes, narcotics, and gun-related crimes as well.
Chief Nance goes on to explain, "We've seen a significant decrease in gun-related homicide cases and in homicide cases overall—more than a 50% decrease in homicide cases that, coupled with the decrease in our shooting cases, our injuries, and shootings with injuries, are down significantly. And so we are seeing a decrease in gun-related crimes, and we're taking more guns off the streets out of the hands of criminals."
They've also been working closely with the Sparks Police Department and the Homeland Security Investigations Agency. In doing so, they've been able to continue to combat drug and human trafficking through these teams.
